The Serpent's Lioness
by Mysterytears97
Summary: The Golden Trio along with an unexpected ally, Draco Malfoy have been working for years in the Ministry of Magic trying to restore order. Then...everything blows up in their faces, literally. Emotions and chaos run amok, but one unlikely and unwilling pair will navigate through the disaster and discover the one thing that prevails; true love. RATED M FOR SEXUAL CONTENT AND LANGUAGE
1. Author's Note

**Hi guys, don't kill me I know I've like vanished since I finished An Unexpected Twist, but I'm back with a new Dramione! *cheers* I'll have it up as soon as I can but updates may come like wayyyy slower because I'm also writing on Wattpad under the username YieShyueny, plus school is a huge pain in my ass. So, I'm a little rusty with the Harry Potter world so don't kill me or hex me into next year because some things are 1. Made up, 2. Wrong, or 3. Just weird. Feel free to correct me! Just don't be harsh about it? I'm really hoping my writing has improved and I guess we'll see (: Hopefully some of my fans from AUT are still around :p**  
**I'll have chapter one up soon! (typing it as it's posted)**

**Do read and review! It makes me happy and gives me motivation! /strong/p**


	2. Chapter 1

**Here we have it. Chapter 1 of The Serpent's Lioness. Read and Review!**

**Disclaimer: All characters belong to JK Rowling. Unfortunately.**

Chapter 1

Hermione sighed, pulling her hair tie and releasing her sleek, curly hair. She had long ago tamed it using the new and improved Sleekeazy's Hair Potion, a hundred times more efficient than it was all those years back for the Yule Ball with Viktor Krum. She shuddered, thinking of how badly that night went, and the one pair of gray eyes she could never seem to really forget. She shook her head, forcing those hauntingly hypnotizing gray eyes from her mind as she prepared for tomorrow's long day.

Having joined the Ministry of Magic right after graduating from Hogwarts, she managed to convince Ron and Harry to join her in rebuilding everything the war had destroyed, from relationships, to lost minds, schools, and the deep rooted mistrust in anything related to the Dark Lord. Draco lost everything, and Hermione was one of the few who had offered her aid when he was stumbling, lost to the darkness and horrors of war. The Dark Mark was a stark reminder of his mistakes, and he'd once confided in her that he'd tried to cut the Mark out, but when the wound healed, the Mark was still there. Hermione's heart went out to him, and every time she saw the scars around the Mark she was reminded that Draco wasn't a willing participant.

She felt her insides light up with excitement when she saw that she was working with Malfoy. Well, Draco now. It still seemed so strange, even after five years, that their supposed sworn enemy was part of their group, well sort of. She had long ago forgiven him for his cruelty towards her, and they had become great friends, but she couldn't shake the slight apprehension that crept up on her every time they were alone. Especially tomorrow. They were going to do some publicity to celebrate the end of the rebuild. Five long years and they were finally done. The apprehension however, was that Draco would snap at someone for making a comment and they would be back at square one.

"Suck it up Granger; you've already forgiven him. Look forward to going round with him,"

She chastised herself sharply before hopping into bed and snatching up the book she'd left by her bedside table.

Hermione shook her head at herself, having read the same sentence at least five times already. She knew she had to sleep, and hoped to god that the sleeping draught worked. She downed the purple liquid, wincing as it went down, then settled into her bed, praying for a good night's sleep.

* * *

A terrifying shriek had Draco Malfoy jerking awake, alert and terrified at the same time. He scanned his room quickly, and released a breath he didn't know he was holding when he saw nothing happening. His relief however, was short lived. This time is was a pained cry, followed by another shriek, and Draco immediately knew who it was – _Hermione._

He sprung out of bed, not bothering to put on a shirt before apparating straight into her room, all the while thanking his lucky stars they were familiar enough for him to go through her impossibly strong wards. He twisted and faced the sleeping girl, no _woman, _and his heart broke when he saw her sheets twisted around her and her face contorting in pain.

"No, stop, please, no" she murmured, tears sliding down her blotchy face.

Draco hurried over to her side and shook her gently.

"Mia, Mia, wake up," he whispered, shaking her shoulder.

She groaned and twisted away, whimpering in pain. Suddenly her body froze and she let out a heart-shattering sob.

Draco's heart lurched and he shook Hermione more vigorously, wanting her out of her nightmare.

"Granger! Granger, wake up!" he yelled, and she finally gasped awake, tears coming faster and harder as she sobbed into his chest.

"Her, it was her," she cried, her grip on me tightening as her sobs turned into broken cries.

Guilt rushed through him as he thought about his dead Aunt Bellatrix. She had caused Hermione this pain and Draco hated her with every fiber of his being for causing such pain to a brilliantly beautiful person.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry," he murmured, tangling his hands in her curly hair as he tugged her closer.

"D-Draco, could… could you stay with me?" she hiccupped, her watery brown eyes looking at him imploringly.

He shushed her and settled himself into her bed.

It was becoming a regular occurrence, and Draco couldn't decide if he liked it or not. On one hand he loved the fact that she trusted him enough to let him hold her so intimately, and letting him into such a private part of her life but he hated the circumstances they were under, and the fact that her nightmares were his fault. After the war they had quickly grown closer, their matching wit and intelligence creating long, fascinating conversations that Draco never tired of, no matter what ridiculous topic they were on about.

He was so lost in thought he didn't realize Hermione has fallen asleep on his chest. Sighing, he pressed a soft kiss to her forehead, and pulled the blankets around them so they could both get some sleep.

"Goodnight Hermione."


	3. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: All characters belong to JK Rowling. Unfortunately.**

* * *

Hermione woke, disoriented and her head pounding. She grimaced and lifted her head, only slightly surprised to see Draco asleep next to her, his morning wood pressing into her lower back.

_Guess the nightmares came again. _She mused, irritated that she could never remember what happened in the night, only knowing that they were bad enough to wake Draco, who lived next door.

Draco stirred, and opened one sleepy eye.

"You a'right Mia?" He rasped, voice husky with sleep as he rose, hair sexily mussed and sending tingles down her spine.

"I'm fine Draco, thank you for last night," she replied, blatantly ignoring the tingles, but couldn't help her roving eyes, staring down his lean and chiseled body, stopping where those sinful Vs were hidden by his low slung pajama pants.

A chuckle brought her eyes flying back to his face.

"I know I'm sexy Granger, but try to be a little more subtle, aye?" he smirked, before apparating back into his house and leaving a beetroot red Hermione Granger.

An hour later a sharp rap rang through the house, just as Hermione was getting the last of her things to leave. She was nervous, and the uneasy feeling that _something _would go wrong refused to go away. She called out that she'd be there soon and grabbed her peacoat before leaving the house.

"Morning Malfoy," she chirped, feeling much better after her shower and coffee.

"Morning. I would've thought we'd be past the last name basis by now _Granger,_" he drawled, sending her a teasing smirk.

He held his hand out to her and they apparated to the front of the Ministry of Magic's building. After the war, the Minister declared that no one was allowed to apparate in the building, for security reasons. No one complained because everyone knew he was trying to prevent a second break-in. The first had been a disaster, a second? Blasphemy.

"Hmm," she said, still distracted and apprehensive.

"What's wrong? No smartass remark? Something's wrong," he said, stopping them while they walked towards the lifts.

"It's nothing Draco I'm just nervous about tonight," she replied, still looking distracted.

Draco frowned but let it go, deciding that he'd pry it out of her eventually. They walked in an uncomfortable silence, lost in their thoughts, until they bumped into Ron.

"Weasel," Draco drawled, sarcasm dripping from every letter.

"Malfoy," Ron grunted, then turned to Hermione with a blinding smile.

"Hi Hermione! Why are you with the ferret?" he asked, his tone turning sour as he mentioned Draco.

Hermione and Draco just rolled their eyes and Hermione cocked an eyebrow.

"His name is Draco, and please Ron, we've been working with him amicably for the last five years. Why would you want to cause trouble now? Are you having a relapse?" Hermione asked, drawing her wand just in case.

Shortly after the war ended, the remaining death eaters had kidnapped Ron for six months and tortured him to the point of insanity. Harry, Hermione, Blaise, Luna, and Draco had tracked him down and saved him, but he was different. He was short-tempered, colder, and sometimes an insufferable twat.

Once, he'd been so lost in his own mind he had attacked Harry and Draco, yelling out _Avada Kedavra_ so suddenly, and with so much anger and hatred, it broke through Harry and Draco's quickly thrown up _protego _charm, almost killing them. Hermione had shot a Full Body Bind Curse at him_, _rendering him paralyzed until they could get help.

Hermione worried constantly because she felt a dark aura surrounding him after they had rescued him, and despite multiple tests, she couldn't find anything wrong. She caught him muttering things to himself, and glared at her when she asked if he was alright. She desperately wanted to help the man she used to love but she just didn't know how.

Ron just laughed and waved her off, the twinkle in his eyes telling her enough.

_He's fine, just being his newly eccentric self, _she reminded herself, then let out a breath she didn't know she was holding.

"I'm fine Mione. Just excited about tonight. I'm sure it'll a booming success," he said, a secret smile gracing his features.

Hermione's gut twisted at the word 'booming' but she forced a smile out.

"I'm sure it will Ron. I've got some work to catch up on. I'll see you later?" She offered, giving him a brittle smile as she walked off quickly, not wanting either man to realize that her stomach was a bundle of nerves, or her subconscious was screaming at her to investigate Ron's odd behavior before something really went boom.

"Mia, are you sure you're okay? I think I get the nervous feeling cos I feel it too," Draco muttered lowly, glancing back at Ron's retreating back.

Hermione sighed and tried to rub away the headache that was starting to form while walking to her department, Magical Education. She handled sending out the letters to new students all over Europe, vetoing the N.E.W.T.S and O.W.L.S, confirming the syllabus that was going to be covered in the three magical schools in Europe, Durmstrang Institute, Beauxbatons Academy of Magic and of course, Hogwarts.

She glanced at the stack of papers she had to look through, some of suggestions of a new syllabus for various subjects and groaned. Days like this she hated her job. She loved doing anything related to education and it made her happy. She'd teach in Hogwarts but the MOM had tempted her away from teaching by offering her a position she couldn't refuse; head of the department of Magical Education.

"Hermione could you please tell me what's going on?" Draco asked tightly, anger lighting his dark gray eyes.

"I don't really know Draco! It's just a feeling alright? Lay off," she muttered, turning away from him.

Draco clenched his fists tightly, anger radiating off him. He just wanted to protect her. She didn't know this, and would probably freak out if she knew but Draco and her were paired together because he was the strongest Auror in the force, and while he was working with her to show the wizarding world that he was not a bad person and that he'd turned a new leaf, he was also paired with her for her safety.

"Yeah sure. Just owl me if you need me. I need to drop by the Auror's office anyway," he grumbled, then turned away and headed upstairs.

Draco entered the office with a cloud over his face, and Harry quirked an eyebrow as he stormed past his desk.

"Hermione piss you off again?" he asked, snickering as daggers flew from the blonde's eyes.

"Don't remind me Potter. She's so infuriating," he groaned, head hitting the table lightly.

Harry laughed, and continued poking fun at the sullen man, who ignored him and tackled the stack of admin work lying on his desk.

Draco was so absorbed in his work that he didn't realize an owl had come for him, with a note attached. He removed it and fed the owl before reading the note, recognizing Hermione's loopy cursive.

_Sorry for snapping at you earlier. _

_Lunch is ready for pickup at my office. _

_Yes, I made it myself._

_-H.G_

He grinned to himself and almost skipped down to Magical Education, meeting Blaise on his way out.

"Malfoy, smiling? Either you got laid or you're going to get laid," he snorted, looking quizzically at Draco.

"Shut it Zabini. It's better. Hermione cooked for me," he smirked and watched as Blaise narrowed his eyes, a smile tugging at his lips.

"Lucky bastard. Anyway I've got to talk to Potter about the security tonight. Stay alert Draco," he warned gravely, and left Draco feeling even more apprehensive about the closing ceremony.

He walked quickly, not wanting to leave Hermione alone for too long. He'd already slacked off his duties for the morning when Hermione told him to scram. A knot formed in his stomach when he thought of the scenarios that could happen in his absence.

"Hermione are you alright?" he asked, bursting through her door.

Hermione glanced up, looking at him as if he'd gone mental.

"I'm fine Draco," she said slowly, and he released the breath he'd been holding.

Draco shook his head, his platinum blonde hair flopping over his forehead as he seated himself in one of the plush chairs she used for guests.

"Sorry. Been on edge lately. Guess you're not the only nervous one around here. Blaise and Potter are wracked with nerves too," he commented, running a hand through his hair.

He accepted the lunch Hermione had packed for him and dug in, almost groaning at how good it tasted.

"Bloody hell Granger, how do you cook like this?" he asked in between mouthfuls.

"Books, and lots of practice. It's like Potions, except you're a little freer to explore without fear of the thing exploding in your face," she giggled.

"That's a lovely sound," he commented without thinking, eyes widening when he registered what he'd said.

"You don't laugh enough Mia. You need to get out more, have some fun, live a little. The War's over. You don't have to keep looking over your shoulder," Draco said, _now that I'm here to protect you you're safe, _he added mentally.

"Yeah, I know, but I guess it's habit. You know, keep calm, composed, know everything, react in anger to you," she added, sending a wink his way.

He snorted, then smiled at her. Not one of his smirks, but a genuine, sincere smile. It gave Hermione the tingles and she could feel her insides melting at the warm and inviting smile he gave her.

They chatted awhile before Draco got up to go back, claiming that he had work to do.

"I'll pick you up at 7:30. Look hot," he smirked, then waltzed out her office.

Hermione pulled out the floor length blue dress she had picked specially for tonight. She loved it because it hugged her in all the right places and shimmered when she moved. The satin inside clung to her, making her legs look sleek, while the chiffon flowed and gave her a soft, feminine look. She pulled her hair into a braided chignon, and pulled some tendrils out, letting them curl around her face. She glanced at the clock and swore. Draco would be picking her up in fifteen minutes and she was nowhere near ready.

"_Locomotor," _she cast, and her foundation, blush, eyeshadow and lipstick rose, making themselves useful.

_Magic. What would I do without you? _She sighed, and heard a knock just as her makeup was putting its final touches on her face for her.

"Granger, hurry up!" he shouted into her house and she scowled.

_I'll show him for rushing me, _she grinned evilly before slipping her feet into her black strappy heels and opened the door.

"Hello Malfoy," she purred, teasing him by batting her eyelashes.

"G-Granger? Holy shit you clean up good," he stumbled, his eyes roving her body.

"Really? I thought you'd like it," she breathed, trailing her hand across his chest, her molten honey eyes meeting his darkening silver ones.

"Don't do that Mia, you don't know what you're playing with," he growled, and Hermione gasped softly as his hand grasped hers, thumb rubbing her palm sensually.

"Play with fire and you get burned," he whispered huskily, pulling her flush against his hard body, trailing his lips along her neck.

"Draco, stop," she breathed.

Her game had gone way out of hand and she was… excited. More excited than she should be.

"Oh I will, _eventually," _he purred huskily before pushing her against the wall and kissing her, _hard. _

She gasped and he took full advantage of it, pushing his tongue into her mouth and completely possessing her. They kissed long and hard, both battling for control, before they finally broke for air.

"Bloody hell Hermione," Draco breathed, resting his head atop hers.

"Mmm," she said, oddly craving more and yet sated.

"Come, if not we'll be late. You might want to fix your lipstick love, it's kind of messy," he commented, taking her by the elbow.

_You just kissed Malfoy, ex-enemy. And oh Merlin he is a hell of a good kisser, _she thought dizzily, trying to regain her bearings.

This was going to one interesting night.

**A/n: Read and Review! Sorry it's so late I'd love to hear your feedback!**

**P.S Thank you for your feedback Anne! I really appreciate it! **


	4. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: All characters belong to JK Rowling. Unfortunately.**

**greatEXpectationz - Thanks! Glad you like my new story.**

**sherychery7 - Aw thanks sweetheart! And hey, I updated! **

**Read &amp; Review!**

* * *

**DRACO**

_Holy shit I kissed Hermione Granger, _my inner self was stunned and deliriously happy. I schooled my expression into a smirk and glanced down at the beauty on my arm. She looked dazed and shocked, but not in a bad way.

"Mia, you might want to look a little sharper. You look very star struck," I teased gently, nudging her.

She snapped to attention immediately and stuck her tongue out at me while she fixed and composed herself.

Her hand firmly on my arm, we strolled into glitzed up ballroom, eyes roving to admire the heavy maroon drapes and the floating crystal chandeliers as we headed for the stage, where we would give our speech to the people of the wizarding world. It would be broadcasted, of course, but only the most important people were invited to the ceremony. I turned to Hermione, who was frowning in concentration as she tried to remember her lines and chuckled.

"Mia, don't worry about it. I'm sure you'll do fine. You're the smartest witch of the century; surely you can handle some public speaking. And in the highly unlikely event that you stumble, I'm here to cover that sexy arse of yours," I smirked, then groaned, earning myself a smack for that last comment.

"And here I thought you were trying to help," she grumbled, but a silly grin made it's way to her face anyway.

"Hermione, Hermione! Oh there you are. Have you seen Ron anywhere? I can't seem to find him, and the locator spell isn't working," Harry yelped, almost crashing headfirst into Hermione.

"Really? Try again," she replied, her entire body tensing with nerves.

"_Aliquem Ronald_," Harry cast, and a light appeared, but then vanished, much to Hermione's surprise.

"That's odd," she muttered to herself. "Then I guess round up a few Aurors and search for him the old fashioned way," she told Harry, who nodded and slipped back into the crowd.

"Mia, relax. He'll be fine. Maybe he's just cloaked himself to get some privacy? Potter _has _been hovering over him an awful lot lately," I mused, pulling the brunette into my arms, trying to get her to calm down.

"Yeah, sure," she mumbled, and I could almost see her mind running at full speed on how to find Weasel.

"Ms. Granger? Mr. Malfoy? 2 minutes," a stagehand popped his head in and then apparated elsewhere, presumably to tell other people to get ready.

"Ready?" I asked, brushing a kiss over her forehead.

She hummed her reply, preoccupied.

Shaking her head, she muttered, "I need to focus on the here and now. Worrying myself to death can come later. The people needed to hear the news, and I was going to be the one delivering it,"

I raised an eyebrow at her and she blushed.

"Well, you and I. Oh Draco, do I look okay? Does my hair look frizzy? Oh I must look a right mess and –" Hermione fretted, but was silenced by me. Well, my lips to be precise.

"You look beautiful, your hair is perfectly in place and if you keep talking like that I'll have to shut you up again. In the same way," I smirked at her stunned silence, then led her out onto the stage.

"You… You… Ooh I'm so getting my revenge later!" She seethed quietly, trying to quickly regain her bearings.

"Good evening and thank you for being here. As you all well know, I am Draco Malfoy, and this lovely lady is Hermione Granger," I started smoothly, giving her the time she needed.

"Thank you Draco. Today we are here to celebrate the end of the reconstruction of wizarding London!" Hermione took over and loud cheering went through the room, a loud and triumphant roar.

"Tonight, we are here to thank all those who have made contributions, lent a helping hand, and were vital in the process of this massive project. First off, I would like to thank my team, Draco Malfoy, Ginny Weasely, Neville Longbottom, Luna Lovegood, Harry Potter, and Ronald Weasely for their –"

"I'm last eh?" A loud voice, filled with disdain echoed throughout the room, effectively silencing Hermione halfway.

I stiffened, recognizing that voice anywhere. I had hated on that voice for the last five years. I drew my wand and was in a defensive position instantly, with Hermione protected behind me.

"What the bloody hell was that?" she hissed to me.

"That, _Malfoy,"_ the voice spat angrily, "Is the last damned thing you'll every hear. _Avada Kedavra_!"

"_Protego!_" Three people yelled simultaneously, but it was barely strong enough to hold off the killing curse.

I turned to glance at Hermione and the shock and confusion on her face was as clear as day.

_She knew that voice. _

"Ron? Ron what the hell are you doing?" Hermione shrieked, and the man himself withdrew from the darkness.

"Hermione Granger. Smartest witch of our time. For such a good reputation, you have terrible taste in friends," he snorted, casting a nasty silent hex my way.

Thankfully, I had seen it coming and sent it right back. _I'm not the Ministry's best Auror for nothing, _I mentally snarked at the stupid ginger.

"Ron stop this! This is madness! The war is over. Come on, we can help you!" She cried desperately, but I knew it was a lost cause.

His eyes were a dead giveaway. They held the same crazed, power hungry glint as the likes of my father and Voldermort did.

"The war? Over? That's bullshit and you know it Mione. The real war isn't over. The real war, is with _them," _he sneered in my direction.

_Me? _

"The fucking pure-blooded elitist. The rich and famous. They think they rule the whole fucking world and can do whatever they want. How did Voldie start in the first place? By thinking only pure bloods should exist. Well, now that is all going to change," he grinned, a cold, calculating grin before continuing, making his way onto the stage. "Those who pledge allegiance to me will survive. The Death Eaters are on my side and surround this place. Anti-apparation wards are already up so you Elitist purebloods have nowhere to run. How does it feel hmm? To be helpless?" His voice turned from deadly sickly sweet to a furious roar.

"Hermione, Harry, I need you with me. Don't protect these bigot assholes. Join me and we'll rule, together. You'll never face discrimination, never be second-class, never have to cower to the likes of Malfoy," he offered, hand extended to Hermione.

Hermione stared at the hand, then her eyes snapped up to look at Ron, fury burning in her eyes.

"How dare you! How dare you come in here and demand for me to join your insane ideals? I've spent so long rebuilding the trust between wizards and you pull this stunt? Ron have you lost it?" she shrieked, and I pulled her back quickly to ensure she didn't kill herself by pissing him off.

"Look at him. At his eyes. He's gone Mia. There's no turning back. He's the new enemy, the new Voldermort," I murmured into her ear, and a sob shuddered through her.

"He can't be… not Ron… Why? How?" her voice cracked as all the fight left her.

I didn't blame her. Her best friend had just turned into her worst nightmare.

"Enlightenment, darling. Being captured brought me stunning clarity. Take your time to decide Mione, but know that for every day you are undecided, one person will die. Make the right choice," he whispered, fingers lingering on her cheek before he vanished.

What the fuck just happened?

**A/n: Sorry it's late! **

_**Aliquem -**_** Locator Spell. Find Someone (Latin to English)**

**P.S is there a real locator spell? If there was can someone tell me I can't seem to find it.**


	5. Chapter 4

**HERMIONE**

The hall was in chaos. The elite were totally freaking out. Screams, pushing and shoving just added to the mess as everyone tried to get out before the other.

"This is a fucking disaster," I groaned, the straightened.

_Sonorous, _I silently cast. "Everyone stop your aimless running," My voice echoed through the walls but no one listened.

"EVERYONE, FREEZE!" Draco yelled, and everyone froze.

"Thanks," I muttered, then turned to the stunned audience.

"There's no point in trying to get out. If…If Weasely is right then there are Death Eaters surrounding this place. Where are the Aurors?" I asked, glancing around for Harry.

"Here Mione. How can we help?" Harry appeared beside me, with a group of our best Aurors.

Unsurprisingly, most of them were from Dumbledore's Army. Neville, Luna, Blaise, Ginny, Harry and Draco were waiting for me to tell them what to do.

"Um, Draco you're with me. Ginny, Harry, Neville scout the area and see if you can find a way out. Blaise, Luna, make sure nothing happens here. Okay?"

They nodded at me and went off in their separate directions.

"Where are we going Mia?" Draco asked, taking my hand firmly as we ascended the stairs.

"We're going to try and break the anti-apparation spell," I murmured, steadily climbing the spiral stairs.

"I thought only McGonagall could do that," Draco replied, looking at me, confused.

"Only when it's done by the school. This is Ron's doing, and we're about to undo it," I answered firmly, surveying the cloaked figures surrounding the school.

"How will we know where to hit? We can't even see the dome," Draco muttered, looking out sullenly into the inky sky.

"We will. Do you know _Specialis Revelio_? It reveals all charms, spells and hexes, colouring it a light blue to dark red, depending on the strength of the spell.

"I know the spell but it's never worked. None of the Aurors can cast it correctly. Hell even I can't cast it."

"Well, you didn't have the brightest witch of the century with you. It's pretty simple actually. Just move your wand slowly, languidly, and say the incantation smoothly, like water flowing in a river," I replied, taking his hand and guiding it in the correct motion.

Together we raised our wands, and linked our hands.

_"Specialis Revelio." _A light blue light slithered out from the tips of our wands and headed for the shield.

It hit and spread quickly, like paint hitting a bucket of water, but it was rapidly changing colour. It darkened, then turned slowly, from blue, to purple before finally settling on an angry red.

"Well, shit."

"Shut up. We can break it. We just need to do it, together," I said, nudging Draco lightly.

"Yeah. Together. Sure," he breathed out, looking mesmerized as the colour created a dome like sphere.

"Accio brooms!" Draco called out suddenly, and two brooms came zooming in.

"We'll let the others know once they hear the boom and crackle of the shield coming down, to apparate to safety. Those who don't know how, or aren't allowed to yet, side apparate with one of the others. The most important thing is to get as many as we can to safety before the death eaters lose their patience," he ordered, and swiftly got onto the broom.

"Uh, Draco? Maybe I'll just stay here," I answered, looking nervously at the hovering broom.

"Oh, sorry, I forgot you were afraid of flying. Don't worry, I'll be back soon," he said, kissing me tenderly on the forehead before jumping out the window.

I rubbed my hand across my face and tried to calm down and harness my energy.

"Well, well. Little miss bookworm left all alone," a sinister voice spoke from the shadows and I drew my wand, making sure to stay near the window in case I had to, _god forbid_, jump.

"What do you want Theo?" I spat, my wand raised and ready to attack.

"Nothing Granger, nothing at all, yet. I only want to deliver a message. Join Ron and all will be spared. Refuse, and watch everything you've worked for burn into ash. Time is ticking Granger. Another 12 hours and someone will die," he laughed manically and turned to leave, his cloak rustling in the darkness.

_12 hours. Had time really gone by so fast? Shit we need to hurry._

"Granger, everyone's ready. Are you okay?" Draco hopped down from the broom and pulled me into his embrace.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Let's do this," I said, shaking the nerves and worry off.

_"Confractus Incantatio!" _We cast simultaneously, and brilliant green sparks flew from our wands, hitting the shield, but nothing happened.

"Again. We keep trying until we break that shield," I huffed, and we cast the spell again.

On the fifth or sixth time, we cast the spell with so much force it was like a firework show had gone off, and when the sparks settled, a single crack was there.

"Target that crack. Hurry before it reseals!" I cried, fractic.

It took us another six spells to finally create a hole big enough to collapse part of the shield so the guests could apparate.

"Thank god. Shit that was tiring. Let's go down to the main hall and see if anyone's stuck," I said, wiping the sweat off my brow before apparating into the main hall.

It was almost empty, with only the teachers, headmaster, and the team of Aurors checking to make sure the coast was clear.

"Well done, both of you. We're not out of the clear yet," McGonagall said, a tight smile on her face.

"Sirius' house," I started to suggest Draco cut in.

"Malfoy Manor,"

"No. Why would we go there?" Harry argued, a deep frown etched onto his face.

"Because it's got the strongest wards around, Weasley won't think to look for us there, and I can charm the place to make it a maze, and anyone who tries to enter will get lost," Draco argued back, and I had to admit his plan might be better.

"What happens if we want to enter? Won't we get lost too?" Luna asked, and Draco shook his head.

"No. The lot of us will be immune to the charm. There's an immunity spell I can cast over all of you," he explained, and looked at me expectantly.

"Malfoy Manor it is. C'mon, we don't have much time, hurry," I rushed everyone and we apparated to the front of the manor.

_This is where all your nightmares began. _I shuddered, thinking of the horrors that had happened here.

"C'mon, I altered the wards to allow all of you access," Draco said, but there was a tinge of wariness, fear, and nervousness.

I hurried my footsteps and slipped my hand into his, squeezing it lightly.

We opened the door and froze. The stench hit us full force and we gagged. Blood and guts stained the walls, a grotesque reminder of the carnage that happened.

"Mia, this, this isn't just murder. It's savagery. And I only know one such person, or thing, that could do this kind of thing," Draco said, anger lacing his venomous tone.

I knew too.

_Fenir Greyback. _

**A/n: Hey! Read and Review! Thanks to those who favourited and followed this story! Review okay? It makes me happy knowing that you like this story, and gives me motivation to write more**

**Invented Charms:**

_**Confractus Incantatio - Breaking Charm (Anti-apparition) **_


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